Exhibitions looking back at old Bungay buildings and the town during the war will be staged at St Mary’s Church later this year.

The displays are being organised by the Friends of St Mary’s and the Joint Tourism Committee, who will use the space to showcase photos and material on two main themes for the year.

The first, “Buildings of Bungay”, due to be staged from Friday, May 25 to Monday, May 28, will feature pictures and plans of some memorable houses in the area, showing their construction or restoration, with past and present images for comparison.

There will also be exhibits from Bungay Museum which holds the many pictures taken by the late Frank Honeywood, a Town Recorder who was meticulous in recording changes to the town’s streetscape, plus current pictures of the newest additions to the historic town.

In addition it is hoped to have a section showing artists’ impressions of Bungay along with a competition in conjunction with the schools showing how the younger generation view the buildings.

Then in October, “Bungay during Wartime” will precede the centenary celebrations for the end of the First World War, and will feature material from that war along with an exploration of the effects of Second World War on the town.

Evacuees, prisoners of war, bombs over Bungay and the invasion of the American forces will be featured along with memories and mementoes from veterans. Once again the museum will provide pictures of those troubled years and the celebrations that followed.

Bookings are also already in place for groups to hire the historic, but redundant, church for concerts, plays, art fairs and other meetings over the course of the year.

And visitors will feel the benefits of an under-pew heating system installed in St Mary’s Church during the winter, which, together with the new pew cushions, makes for a more comfortable visit to the building.

More information and dates about events at St Mary’s will be available nearer the time, but anyone with a special interest or possessions suitable for either exhibition is invited to contact Keith Parker on 01986 893133 or John Warnes on 01986 892855.